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- Javier Rafael Pedregon-Magana, a documented gang member, is charged with trying to kill his brother.
- He allegedly said he was promised $25,000 and removal of a hit on his own life.
- Pedregon-Magana is charged with attempted murder and evading police in Utah.
MURRAY — A documented gang member was charged Monday with trying to kill his brother on Christmas Day in exchange for $25,000 and a promise that a hit allegedly placed on his own life would be removed.
Javier Rafael Pedregon-Magana, 24, of West Jordan, is charged in 3rd District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; and failing to stop for police, a third-degree felony.
About 10:35 p.m. on Dec. 25, the Utah Highway Patrol was notified of a fight on I-15 near 2900 South. Troopers arrived to find a man walking south along the right shoulder.
The victim "was disoriented and had blood-soaked clothes. Troopers provided aid to (the man) and observed a laceration straight across his right forearm that was bleeding heavily. (He) also had blood all around his right shoulder from lacerations and stab wounds," according to charging documents.
The man claimed he, his brother Pedregon-Magana, and other family members had been celebrating Christmas together before the victim drove Pedregon-Magana home. Along the way, however, Pedregon-Magana stabbed his brother multiple times, then tried to run him over when the brother got out of the car, the charges allege.
Later that night, police received information that Pedregon-Magana was circling the hospital where his brother was, apparently to "finish the job," a police booking affidavit states.
UHP troopers spotted the vehicle near 4700 South and Redwood Road and attempted to pull it over, but the vehicle sped off. Troopers eventually "pinned the vehicle and performed a high-risk stop with multiple other troopers" near 1300 West and 4000 South, according to the affidavit.
After he was arrested, Pedregon-Magana said there was a "hit" out on his brother because he was suspected of being a snitch, charging documents state. But there was also a hit out on Pedregon-Magana, he claimed.
"While in Reno, Pedregon-Magana was asked to kill (his brother) for $25,000 (and) to have his name 'cleared' because Pedregon-Magana also had hit orders against him," the charges state. "Pedregon-Magana claimed that he had another man hiding in the trunk of (the) car and while they were driving away from the Christmas gathering, he lowered the back seat, and the other man attacked (his brother)."
Despite Pedregon-Magana's alleged claims that there was a third man in the car, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill on Tuesday said there are no pending charges against anyone else.
"We are very comfortable at this stage with our filing. We have filed against everyone that needs to be filed against," he said.
